Parched peas (Carlin Peas, Pigeon Peas)

Parched peas, Carlin Peas, do you remember them from your childhood?
Also known as Maple Peas, Brown Peas, Pigeon Peas and even Black badgers and Grey Badgers, are an ancient pea or marl, documented in the reign of Elizabeth 1.

They more or less originated in the gardens of the early Middle ages monasteries, when peas and beans formed a huge part of the staple diet. They grow to approximately six feet high, and display striking purple and white blossoms, and they crop profusely. The peas, which can be used fresh, or dried for winter use, have a unique flavour, often described as a mediaeval mushy pea.

Carlin peas are better known in the north of England, black peas are by tradition eaten in the Blackburn, Preston and Bolton areas of Lancashire just about the time of Bonfire/Halloween night and we used to get them at the various winter fairs. The preparation is a little different to most other methods, we will soak them for 24-48 hours, then simmer until they have gone mushy (adding salt during cooking stops them from softening), salt and vinegar is added just before eating.

Carlin Sunday used to be generally observed in and around Carlisle, back in the days when the State Management ran the local pubs. Regulars would be given Carlins, usually in a plastic cup, liberally covered with vinegar, salt and pepper. This is a favourite Cumbrian recipe of mine;
Soak the Carlins together with a ham shank overnight, rinse, fill the pot with clean water, bring to the boil, skim off any scum, add the chopped vegetables and allow to simmer as long as you like, remove the shank, remove the fat, chop up the meat and return to the pot.
The tradition has died out since the big breweries moved in, but if you try hard enough you'll find Carlins in one or two pubs, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't like them!
In the Northeast traditionally children were given them to eat on Carlin Sunday, after a special church service, a little like Harvest Festival. In Nottingham the cooked peas were sold at the annual Goose Fair until the late fifties.

Here is a Geordie recipe for Carlin Peas;
Preparation Time is about three minutes, plus overnight soaking. Cooking Time is around 25 minutes
This recipe serve serves four people

INGREDIENTS
½lb (200g) Carlin peas
Pinch of salt
1oz (25g) of beef dripping (or butter)
Some soft brown sugar (optional and not usually used in the North East)
A splash of rum (optional)

Soak the Carlin peas in cold water overnight. Drain and put them in a saucepan of boiling water with salt. Boil for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked but not overdone or mushy.
Melt the beef dripping (or butter) in a frying pan, drain the Carlins and then add them to the pan and fry for two to three minutes.
Serve hot with salt, vinegar and pepper. Or you can leave them to cool for a tasty nibble later. Alternatively, while still hot, you can add the brown sugar and a drop or rum.

Herbes de Provence (Provençal herbs)

Provençal cuisine has by tradition used many herbs, which were often considered collectively as "Herbes de Provence", but not in any exacting recipes, and not sold as a blend. Herbes de Provence can be different in content and quantity, more often than not the blend will comprise thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, savory, and basil. You can prepare your own blend using these herbs alongside with other quantities of aromatic herbs as lavender, fennel seeds and sage all depending on your personal taste, I personally like a little lavender added to the blend.

Herbes de Provence are for the most part used to flavour grilled foods such as fish and meat, as well as vegetable stews. The blend can be added to foods before or during cooking or mixed with cooking oil prior to cooking so as to infuse the flavour into the cooked food. They are rarely added after cooking is complete, Put the herbs in a jar with a screw top lid and shake together

Serves: Quite a few, though this blend makes about 1/3 cup of herb mix

Time: Only you can tell me that

You Will Need

1 tablespoon, thyme

1 tablespoon, chervil

1 tablespoon, rosemary

1 tablespoon, summer savory

1 teaspoon, lavender

1 teaspoon, tarragon

1 teaspoon, marjoram

½ teaspoon, oregano

½ teaspoon, mint

2 powdered or chopped bay leaves

Method:

Mix together all of the ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container.

Makes about 1/3 cup herb mix.

Ginger Beer Plant

Not so long ago I was asked if I remembered making ginger beer as a young un, and I do, this might be a good way to entertain the kids during the holidays.
During the 50's and 60’s just about every family was growing one of these plants. At every friend's house you visited you were given ginger beer to drink and as far as I can remember it tasted superb! Then all of a sudden it all seemed to disappear. I was only about 10 at the time so didn't get to know the real reason why. Soon after I supposed it had a lot to do with the coming of the Corona pop man he called each week with a fantastic selection of fizzy drinks that didn't need feeding. I still miss that ginger beer though.

Serves: As many as you want
Time: A couple of hours to get it all ready and a little while longer before drinking it

You Will Need

1. 25g (1 oz) fresh yeast or 15g (½ oz) of dried yeast
2. 1 kg (2¼ lb) sugar
3. 40ml (8 tsp) ground ginger
4. Juice of 2 lemons
5. Water
6. Square of muslin
7. 9 x 1 pint, or 5 x 2 pint cork topped bottles (Now I would use proper beer bottles available at all good home brew shops))

Method:
For making the ginger beer we used a glass sweetie jar borrowed from the corner shop if you can find one it would be ideal, up in Lancashire Ozzie mills sells this type of jar, full of sweets. It is best kept in a cool dark place, we used a shelf of the kitchen cupboards.
Put the yeast into a large clean jar, pour in 275 ml (10 fl oz) tepid, (blood temperature) warm water, stir in 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground ginger.
Cover and leave in a warm place for 24 hours, you have just made your starter plant, over the next week you just 'feed' it till it is ready to bottle.

Feeding The Plant

• Feed the plant with 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, every day for the next 6 days. Make sure to stir and cover the jar each time.
• After you have fed it on the 6th day, cover the plant and leave it for 24 hours.
• After that, line a sieve with the muslin, (I remember using a tea towel) then strain the contents of the jar, reserving both the liquid and the sediment.
• In a saucepan over gentle heat, dissolve 2 ponds of sugar) 1 pint of water. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved then bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes.
• Allow to cool until almost cold, then pour the syrup into a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice and liquid from the plant.
• Dilute this liquid with 6 pints of water, stir well and pour into clean, and sterilised bottles. Put a cork in each one and store somewhere preferably cool and dark for at least one week.
• Then drink and enjoy, don't be tempted to save it as there will be a new batch coming along next week!

MAKING MORE GINGER BEER
Wash out the large jar and the muslin, add half of the saved sediment, then continue from Feeding The Plant. Do as we all used to do pass the other half of the sediment to a friend with instructions as to how to proceed.

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